Improvement in seedingym achines



N. FORD.

Grain-Drin Patented FebA 26, 1861.

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

a NELSON FORD, OF CAMBRIDGE, VVISUONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEEDINGyKMA'CHlNES- Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 31,536, dated February 26, 1861.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NELSON FORD, of Cambridge, in the county of 'Dane and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and Improved Seeding-Machine; and Ido hereby declare that the following is at'ull, clear, and exact description of the same, rel'erence being had to the annexed drawings, making part ot' this 'specification,in which- Figure 1 is a plan or top view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side sectional view of the same, taken in line .c Fig. 1; Fig. 3, an enlarged section of the hopper and seed-distributing device.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the three tigures.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of seeding-machines which are designed for sowing seed broadcast and in drills.

The object of the invention is to obtain a simple and etcient means for distributing the seed, so that the same may be sown veryevenly and without any liability ot' the distributing device becoming choked or clogged.

To enable those skilled in the art to l'ully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents a rectangular frame, mounted on a roller, B, which may be made in sections, placed on a common shaft or axle, C, the sections on one part of the shaft being placed loosely on their shaft, while the other sections are attached permanently to it. This arrangement merely facilitates the turning ofthe machine. The front' part of the frame is supported by a caster-wheel, A.

D is the driver-s seat, which is `placed on a cross-bar, E, at the back end of the frame A, and Fis a hopper, which is placed transversely on the frame A and extends entirely across it.

Within the hopper F there is placed longitudinally a shaft, G, to which a series of short arms, a, are attached transversely. The shaft G is allowed to rotate freely within the hopper F,and the armsaare directly over slots or openings b in the 'bottom of the hopper, the arms a, as the shaft G rotates, extending down to the slots.

Directly below the bottom of the hopper F there is placed a. shaft, H, on which wheels H' are placed, a wheel H being in line with each slot b in the bottom of the hopper.

I is a slide, which is titted to the underside of the bottom ofthe hopper. This slide is perforated with holes and forms a register, by adjustine,` which the capacity cf the slots or openings b may be regulated as desired. 4 The slide I is adjusted by means of a lever, J, attached to one side ot' the frame A.

The wheels H' have their peripheries grooved circumferentially, as shown clearly in Fig. 1.

When the machine is used for sowing seed in drills there area series of curved or segment spouts, K, attached to a bar, L, secured transversely to the frame A. A wheel, H, works in ieach spout K. Just below the bar L there is placed a similar bar, M, the ends of which are titted in the same pendants, d d. The bar M, however, is allowed to turn freelyin the pendants d d. 'lo the bar M there are attached spouts, N which are in line with thespouts K. The bar M may be turned at any time so as to raise the spouts K free 'rom the ground by actuating a lever, O, by means otl a rod, P, the lever O being connected to one end ot' the bar M, or to a spout, K, thereof, by a chain, e. The spoutsK are vconnected to the front cross-bars, f, ot' the frame A by chains g, which serve as stays. The lower ends of the spouts K serve as shares to make the drills or t'urrows to receive the seed. At the front side of the hopper F there are placed a series of slides, a", the lower ends of which are rounded to tit the grooves Vof the wheels H. These slides 0.x serve as cut-o`s, and by being properly adjusted prevent the escape ot' seed when not required.

The operation'is as follows: As the/machine is drawn along the shaft G is rotated by gears h and a belt, t', from the shaft, or axle C, and the armsaof the shaftGforce the seed through the slots or openings b of the bottom of the hopper, and the seed passes into the grooves of the wheels H, which are rotated in consequence of the band t' passing over a pulley,j,`

board, O', used instead. This board is shown Y in red in Fig. 1. A drag, P, (shown in red,) is also attached to the frame A when the scat- 1 for discharging the seed.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters latent, is-

The combination of the revolving aims aof shaft G within the hopper F, in .connection with the slots or openings b in the bottom ot' lshe hopper and the wheels H' below the hopper, the Wheels being provided with grooved peripheries, and all arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

NELSON FORD.

- Witnesses:

Z. CAMPBELL, THOMAS SLAGG. 

